The Action Group on Free Civic Space (AGFCS), a coalition of Nigerian civil society organizations, has called on the Inspector General of Police to launch an immediate, transparent, and independent investigation into the enforced disappearance of political activist and lecturer Abubakar Idris, widely known as Dadiyata, who vanished in August 2019.

Dadiyata, then a 34-year-old lecturer at the Federal University Dutsin-Ma, was reportedly abducted by unidentified armed men on August 2, 2019, as he arrived at his home in Barnawa, Kaduna State.

Despite widespread condemnation from local and international groups, multiple lawsuits, and sustained advocacy, his whereabouts remain unknown more than six years later, making it one of Nigeria’s most prominent unresolved cases of enforced disappearance involving civic actors.

In a statement released on February 14, 2026, AGFCS expressed deep concern over recent public claims suggesting the disappearance was politically motivated.

The group highlighted statements by former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai during a recent live interview, where he reportedly pointed to former Kano State Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje as potentially responsible. El-Rufai referenced an alleged confession by a police officer said to have been involved in the operation, claiming officers were dispatched from Kano State.

According to AGFCS, which cited input from the Rule of Law and Advocacy Accountability Centre (RULAAC), these claims—if substantiated—would be “explosive.” The organization stressed that regardless of their accuracy, the allegations necessitate urgent official scrutiny.

“Enforced disappearance is a grave human rights violation and a direct threat to constitutional guarantees of the right to life, liberty, dignity, and freedom of expression under Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution (as amended) and international human rights instruments,” the statement read. “When civic actors disappear without accountability, fear spreads and civic space shrinks.”

AGFCS urged the Inspector General of Police, in collaboration with relevant authorities, to:

1. Initiate a transparent and independent investigation incorporating all available information, including recent public statements.
2. Publicly release the findings and clearly communicate them to Dadiyata’s family.
3. Ensure full accountability for anyone found responsible.

The group reiterated that enforced disappearances have no place in a democratic society and that Dadiyata’s family deserves truth and closure, while Nigeria requires accountability to prevent justice from remaining indefinitely delayed.

The renewed call comes amid heightened public attention following El-Rufai’s interview remarks and subsequent denials from Ganduje, who has rejected any involvement and described the allegations as baseless attempts to shift responsibility. Other voices, including Amnesty International, have also demanded an independent probe into the case.

Dadiyata, known for his social media commentary and criticism of political figures, remains a symbol of the risks faced by activists in Nigeria’s shrinking civic space. No official confirmation of his fate has emerged to date.